Writing Buddy Wednesday with Lilliana Rose: Renovation Rumbling on Writing

I'm lucky to have a special guest today on the blog - in the first Writing Buddy Wednesday for 2016.

Lilliana Rose is a fellow SARA and DarkSider who is supportive of her fellow writers and has a stringent work ethic. You can find her in coffee shops around Adelaide with laptop or pen and paper in hand working on her latest pieces (evidence is presented on her Facebook timeline in the form of pictures). She also has great taste in bags (yes, I notice bags!) and is great company at conventions.

Lilliana experiments with her writing and writes from Steampunk mysteries to rural romances to poetry.

Lilliana is generously giving away a free copy of her latest release to one lucky commentator.

Now it's over to Lilliana!

~~~

Renovation Rumbling on Writing 
by Lilliana Rose


As part of my writing routine I have given myself a break for the month of January this year to allow my mind to rejuvenate and the stories to simmer quietly in my subconscious. To fill the space when I would normally write, I decided to begin a renovation project of a cabinet, which I’ve been meaning to do for, um, well a few years now.

Already this sounded a little like writing. I have manuscripts on my computer in need of some renovations. And it was these stories which filled my mind, growing and transforming, as I stripped back paint, about three layers, the top two were enamel, and sweat covered my body along with little flakes of paint in the summer heat. Mixed with the difficult discussion of having to pick out what colours to use – my art form is with words not colours!

I couldn’t help compare the process with writing. There are layers to peel away on a manuscript and sometimes it takes a while to get to a project. When I went to the hardware store for the fiftieth time, the guy looked at me weird for having stripping the paint off, for if I hadn’t done that then I could’ve just painted over the top and wouldn’t have to have put on an undercoat. Sometimes when editing the direction I go in might not be the same, but then again sometimes I’ve needed to strip the manuscript down to the bare wood in order to get the full inspiration of the new direction to take in it.




This is an approach I took with Change of Heart (The Clockwork Mysteries #1) last year where I re-looked at the story, stripped it back, and then started rewriting the second half. And while I ended up deleting thousands of words, the result was not only a better story, but also the flow of more ideas and I’ve since written Heart of Gold and Heart’s Desire. While stripping back paint, picking new colours, working out how to attach wall paper (not really believing the guy at the hardware store that I could simply use clag glue) my mind has secretly churned through and developed more stories, not just for The Clockwork Mysteries series, but also others (I’d better get writing!).

So the cabinet isn’t finished (like all creative projects it always takes longer than expected), and I’m now back at my day job, and back into writing with renewed inspiration. And I’m Glad I could see the benefits from recycling something old, like the cabinet, stripping away the years of misuse by other people, and making it my own. The process has also given me hope not to give up on some of my manuscripts that haven’t yet seen the light of day.




Leave a comment below for a chance to win a Kindle copy of Heart of Gold. Only one copy to be given away.



Lilliana is a creative writer and poet. She enjoys pulling levers and turning cogs in steampunk worlds, and dreams of travelling in an airship.

Check out more of her work at these sites: website, blog, Goodreads, Facebook or Twitter.





Heart of Gold

by Lilliana Rose

Vickie's husband, George, insists she undertakes self defence lessons before starting her private eye business. George worries about her safety but doesn't want to stop her from developing her newly found skill of solving mysteries.

The training sessions are difficult and Vickie is exhausted. Now that her and George have rekindled their love, Vickie is determined to find the time to keep the sparks flying between them as much as possible.

When her trainer is injured, Vickie discovers he isn't entirely human, and has mechanical parts. But George doesn't believe her. Vickie insists something untoward happening and she must investigate. Can she solve another mystery while maintaining the renewed spice between her and George?



Available on Amazon Direct.

 ~~~

Thanks, Lilliana!


Readers don't forget to comment for your chance to win a copy of this latest instalment of The Clockwork Mysteries.


~yia~

Writing Buddy Wednesday ~ Erica Hayes

Welcome to another Writing Buddy Wednesday. Today I have my fellow DarkSider, the talented Erica Hayes. Erica writes dark urban fantasy romance, sci-fi, post apolocolyptic romances. 

Here's Erica...

Your most recent release is Scorched. Can you describe this book for us?

Scorched is the first in a new series, about a telekinetic crime fighter named Verity and the trouble she gets into. It has a dark flavour to it – Verity has a few problems with making the right decisions and telling right from wrong – but it's got plenty of action and a twisting mystery plot, and lashings of romance too!

(Eleni: wow, that sounds amazing!)

Please tell us a little about your road to publication.

I first got published in the olden days, before self-publishing took off, and a lot of people were still asking, 'what are these ebook things?!?' So yeah, 2008. I got an agent (whom I still work with) via a query letter, and my first contract was for print books. It doesn’t seem like that long ago, but wow, have things changed since then!

My first series was dark, violent, gory urban fantasy romance. I still love those books! Since then, I've done an apocalyptic paranormal romance series about angels, plus a sci-fi adventure novel. I've also self-published a few short stories and a novel, which was good fun.



What attracted you to the paranormal romance and urban fantasy genres?

Blood.

No, really :) I like the violent, full-on nature of paranormal. I like writing monsters as people, and people who are monsters. I think there's more latitude for darkness and horror in paranormal/UF than in other romance genres. And from that, we've seen the rise in popularity of BSDM and erotic contemporaries - how are these not just vampire romances with no bloodsucking…? But that's a whole 'nother post…

So yeah. Paranormals are fun, because you can go more places. And hey, I like vampires.



Are you a plotter? Pantser? Or somewhere in between?

Plotter. Not even remotely a pantser in any way. If everything isn't plotted out beforehand, I curl up in the corner and cry. And then I get up, and plot everything out :)



What are you working on now?

I've just finished book 2 in the Scorched series, which is due out later this year. Then, it's on to a secret project. I could tell you, but then I'd have to creep around in the dead of night and slaughter the lot of you one by one. No one wants that.

(Eleni - definitely not)



What is your favourite part of the process of writing?

I like it all. Even revising, and writing the synopsis. Seriously, what better job is there?



What are you currently reading?

A non-fiction book called Raising the Dead, about some Scottish anatomists in the 19th century who wanted to bring a body back to life with electricity. A real-life Frankenstein. I kid you not.

(Eleni - I wonder if that's where Mary Shelley got the idea from).

~~~

Thanks so much for coming here today, Erica!

Here's Scorched...

In a world where everyone wears a mask, you can't trust anyone… not even yourself.

Verity Fortune was once Sapphire City’s top crime-fighter, wielding her powers of telekinesis to battle the city’s most despicable villains.

Now, she’s consumed by a single burning desire: revenge. Against those who took away her mask, her memory, and nearly her life.

Having escaped from the asylum they left her to rot in, Verity dons her mask once again and becomes the Seeker, a vigilante warrior for truth.

But when she unwittingly uncovers an evil conspiracy deep within her own family, she’s suddenly on the run, alone and hunted by those she thought were on her side…

Add it on Goodreads 

Buy links

| Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon Australia  | Kobo  | iBookstore |

Find Erica 

Website | Facebook | Twitter

Writing Buddy Wednesday ~ Shona Husk's The Court of Annwyn

Welcome to another Writing Buddy Wednesday. Today I will be focusing on fellow DarkSider's Shona Husk and her series, The Court of Annwyn.

I've known Shona for a number of years via the Paranormal loop, and we've also collaborated on cover designs for her short stories and novellas.

Recently, this involved the cover for The Changeling Soldier, a novella set in The Court of Annwyn world. So I asked Shona along to talk about the series.



Faeries feature in the COURT OF ANNWYN series. How did you come to write about them?

The Court of Annwyn came about after a conversation with the kids about mazes and what they could be made of. Glass was mentioned, and I immediately thought what a perfect description that was for a fairy court: to be able to see what you want in the middle but to not be able to straight there. I loved writing the Court intrigue and politics and the way that fairies can be cold and conniving and completely obsessed with power...until they fall in love (which is something that no fairy would actually want to do).

Your upcoming release is an in between novella that you are self-publishing. Why a novella?

I like mid-series novellas. I think they are a way to build on the world and give the readers a little but more between books. The Changeling Soldier introduces new characters but sits at the end of book 2 and overlaps with book 3. Unlike Lord of the Hunt and To Love a King, The Changeling Soldier is set in our world and get to see how the changes in Annwyn affect the fairies living here.




What advice would you give someone thinking of self-publishing?

Think it through first and determine your reasons and make sure you're prepared for the long haul. With self-publishing the author has to pay upfront for things like cover art and editing. Then do your  Research. Don't cut corners just to get the book out, it has to be a professional product.

At the moment I have only self-published novellas. But who knows what the future holds, the publishing industry is changing so quickly.



What's next for the series?

After The Changeling Soldier there is To Love King (October 2014) which is Felan's story. People have been asking about him since book 1! After that I'm not sure, but there might be a 4th book.

(Eleni: yay!)



How do you go about writing a series (you've done quite a few)?

Some times it's intentional and I get an idea and plot out a series ARC (like the Shadowlands or Annwyn) other times the books are linked only by world like the In a Bottle series about genies--the genies never cross paths and there is no series ARC. I keep a note book for each series so I remember
the magic rules and what all the main characters look like and how old they are etc.

Thanks so much, Shona!

Now let's have a look at the Court of Annwyn series...

Book 1: THE OUTCAST PRINCE

Caspian Mort can feel the history in anything he touches, a gift he inherited from his father, the Crown Prince of Annwyn. Devastated over his ex-wife's infidelity, Caspian has withdrawn from human contact except when working as an antiques dealer.

While assessing the contents of the historic Callaway House he encounters the beautiful Lydia Callaway and senses that her home is haunted by a banished fairy. But what does the dangerous exile want? Unbeknownst to Lydia, she's the owner of the last remaining portal to Annwyn--a mirror hidden somewhere in the house. To keep Lydia safe, Caspian will have to divulge the secrets of his heritage, and risk losing his heart again.

Print ISBN: 978-1402280160

Amazon | The Book Depository | Barnes & Noble | Booktopia

Ebook

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iTunes | Kobo

Book 2: LORD OF THE HUNT

Their love could destroy a powerful reign and change the mortal world forever.

Raised in the mortal world, the fairy Taryn never planned on going back to Annwyn, much less to court. But with the power shift imminent, she is her parents' only hope of securing a pardon from exile and avoiding certain death.

Verden, Lord of the Hunt, swore to serve the King. But as the magic of Annwyn fails and the Prince makes ready to take the throne, Verden knows his days as Hunter are numbered. When Taryn and Verden meet, their attraction is instant and devastating. Their love could bring down a Queen and change the mortal world forever.

Print ISBN: 978-1402280191

Amazon | The Book Depository | Barnes & Noble | Booktopia

Ebook

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iTunes | Kobo

In-between the books: THE CHANGELING SOLDIER

Her time in the mortal world is running out...

After fleeing Annwyn three centuries ago, Ella built a life in the mortal world making gowns for European royalty and playing in mortal intrigues. Now those Courts are long gone, and she dresses Hollywood starlets. Mortals come and go, but Ella always ends up alone. She longs for the home she left behind.

He's been dreaming of the coming battle all his life...
Isaac Norton is a returned soldier. Now home, he's restless and his recurring dream is becoming more frequent: he's fighting on a snow-covered field stained with blue blood. When he sees Ella, he knows she isn't human. And she knows what he is, a changeling.

Ella can give Isaac the answers he needs, but there will be a price to pay: his soul.

Available for pre-order at:  iTunes | Kobo | Smashwords

It will also be available via Barnes & Noble and Amazon, also be made available in print.

Shona also has a Goodreads giveaway between 3 to 31May. 

Book 3: TO LOVE A KING

To keep the balance between good and evil at the court of Annwyn, Prince Felan ap Gwyn has two weeks to marry and take the crown. But he wants more than just power--he wants love; a love he once had but was too stubborn to hold on to.

It took years for Jacqueline Ara to put her life back together after Felan abandoned her. And she doesn't want fairies back in her life--even if her heart still burns for him. With war in Annwyn looming and death bleeding into the mortal world, Felan and Jacquie will need to heal old wounds for one last gamble. It's all or nothing to save both worlds.

Available October 2014

You can pre-order:

Print ISBN: 978-1402280221

Amazon | The Book Depository | Barnes & Noble | 

I've read Book 1 and 2, and The Changeling Soldier, and I'm thoroughly enjoying this series. If you love fairies, check out these stories. 

You can catch Shona at -

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Writing Buddy Wednesday ~ Eva Scott

Today I am happy to have the return of Writing Buddy Wednesday.

Joining me is a lovely author,  fellow Musan, and RWA member, Eva Scott.  Eva writes historical romance set in ancient times but also contemporary romances.

Let's chat with Eva....

Your most recent release is Barbarian Bride.  Can you describe this book for us?

This is the second book in the Romancing The Romans series.  Barbarian Bride follows the tale of a minor character from The Last Gladiatrix, Klara the Hun. We find out how she ended up fighting as a Gladiatrix in the Coliseum – and what happens to her once she wins her freedom.

I hadn’t considered telling her story until my editor at Harlequin Escape, Kate Cuthbert, asked me to write it. Klara is feisty and independent, great fun to hang out with.





Please tell us a little about your road to publication. 

I have always written but not seriously until 2005 when I started writing freelance articles for an outdoors magazine.  Then I got a job where I had to translate medical speak into common English.

Both jobs felt like school work so when I fell pregnant with my son I thought I’d try fiction.  I wrote my first novel, A Reluctant Wedding Planner, as a bit of an experiment really.  I entered it into the Emerald and came 4th (if only I’d known more about POV at the time!).  Encouraged, I sent it to some ebook publishers in the USA and was picked up.  Voila!  The learning process really began (and continues).




What attracted you to the romance and historical romance genres?

I wrote The Last Gladiatrix as a short story, loved the characters so much I expanded it into a novella.

Up until then I’d never considered writing historical although I’ve always been a history buff.  My first pick for university had been archaeology.  I found I loved writing it so much I can’t stop!  I’m now working on my third historical and planning more.



 
Are you a plotter? Pantser? Or somewhere in between? 

In between.  I do plot out a bit but often my characters dictate where the story actually goes.  When I look back over my notes I’m often surprised at how far off the original plan we’ve deviated.




What are you working on now? And what’s in the near future for Eva Scott? 

I’m currently doing edits on an outback contemporary romance, Red Dust Dreaming.  And I’m finishing up the third book in the Romancing The Romans series. After that I’m planning another historical.  I’m also plotting out another project which will be a complete departure from genre.  Time to try something different.


     
What is your favourite part of the process of writing? 

I love it all apart from editing.  That I don’t enjoy very much at all. Feels like a chore every time. The very best bit of the writing process is meeting the characters, getting to know them before I start writing.



What are you currently reading?

I am rereading Barbara O’Neal’s The Secret of Everything.  I love the way she draws her characters and I’ve read her books so often it feels as if I’m visiting with old friends.  I’m keen to start I Am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes but it’s written in the first person and it will mess me up while I’m finishing writing my historical which is in the third person.  I tend to be very influenced by whatever I’m reading so I must be careful what I choose while I’m writing.

~~~

Thanks Eva!

On the bloody ground of the Colosseum, she fights to save her life. In the treacherous boxes above, he fights to save their love.


Though Klara didn't love the man who was to be her husband, she didn't want him murdered, and she vows to track down the man who committed the crime. Sickened that she'd been attracted to the mysterious Roman, Klara tracks Lucius Aurelius to the fringes of the Roman Empire, only to find that they've both been trapped in a clever plot to overthrow Klara's father, the Chief of the Huns.
Klara is separated from Lucius, captured by slavers and sold to a gladiator school. She is the only one who can save herself, by fighting for her freedom. Lucius can ensure her battle is easier, but only by sacrificing himself. How much is he willing to give up for the fiery woman he's come to love?

Buy links -
Harlequin Escape | iTunes | Amazon | Amazon Australia  |
Amazon UK | Kobo | All Romance eBooks


Eva Scott lives on the Sunshine Coast, in Queensland Australia in the town which brought the world the Bee Gees. When she’s not writing romance you can find her out on the water kayaking, fishing or swimming. When on dry land it’s all about the shoes and the coffee (and old Bee Gees records).

Find her at online at her

Website | Author Facebook page | Romancing the Romans Facebook page | Twitter 

Writing Buddy Wednesday: Alison Stuart

Today, my Writing Buddy guest is the lovely Alison Stuart who writes historical stories often with a romantic twist. I met Alison online many years ago. She is an amazing person who with some other amazing ladies, put up their hand to be part of the committee for the flailing Romance Writers of Australia back in 2002 and formed the first cyber committee. It is because of them and their dedication that RWA is still here and growing stronger. Alison was the first cyber president and she was living in Singapore at the time. That's commitment!

Let's get chatting with Alison Stuart!

Hi Eleni and thank you so much for having me over to visit you.

Your most recent release is Secrets in Time. Can you describe this book for us? 

SECRETS IN TIME, is my shortest and most romantic (and, I hope, slightly humourous) story to date. I wrote it at a very sad time in my life as a total escape and it is a romantic time travel with a dashing cavalier for a hero and a very modern doctor as a heroine. 

Please tell us a little about your road to publication.

A road strewn with rocks, boulders, bear traps, one way streets and dead ends…

I started writing when I dislocated a shoulder skiing. That first book (now BY THE SWORD), garnered a lot of interest, did well in several major awards but never found a publisher. Too romantic to be historical and too historical to be a romance, I was told.

So I jumped on the epublishing train just before epublishing took off. Needless to say that particular train shunted itself into a siding. When I got the rights back, self publishing was just taking off so I re-released them myself. About that time the non-writing career took off and I stopped writing all together. When the career ended abruptly in an organizational restructure and a redundancy, I took a year off and just wrote books.

However the mainstream publishing industry still seem to want books that they can market under single labels and are not interested in my cross-genre stories so thank you for the rise of the epublishing market and all those wonderful readers who do want to read cross genre stories. However my stories are not “hot” and “steamy”, which are the e-publishing industry staple, so I still struggle to find readers in the cloud!

It is an amazing time to find myself as a writer. Still a long way to go though!



What attracted you to the historical romance genres?

Historical fiction has been all I’ve read since I was first caught out reading Rosemary Sutcliff under the blankets with a torch at the age of 8. I instinctively sought out authors (like the great Rosemary) who wrote stories with a hero I could fall in love with and a heroine I could relate to and if I could combine that story with an English Civil War setting then that book was a keeper! (Barbara Softly was a favourite author). Those first novels I penned as a teenager were definitely “historical romance” so it is no wonder when I started writing that I just continued with writing the sort of stories I liked to read.



Gather the Bones has been nominated for a few awards. Congratulations! What is about this book that has captured the readers’ attention? 

Thank you. I have been thrilled to get the nominations. I write stories that cross genres…which some readers and publishers may see as a fault. My stories are not easily classified as “historical” or “romance” or, as is the case with GATHER THE BONES, throw in “mystery” and “ghosts. 

Downton Abbey with ghosts?

I don’t think any of my stories could be described as “fluffy”. I like deep characterizations and complex, often black plots. I write about war and the effect of war on people and relationships – whether it is the English Civil War or, as in GATHER THE BONES, the first world war. That may not appeal to all readers but obviously it does to others. So, thank you to my readers for supporting me.


Are you a plotter? Pantser? Or somewhere in between?

A 98% pantser. I start with the idea of characters, setting and story kernel but after that it is on for young and old. This is much easier with romance than with a mystery or suspense story which is what I am dabbling with at the moment.

What are you working on now? And what’s in the near future for Alison Stuart?

Alison Stuart is turning to crime (with, I hope, a romantic bent). The current WIP is a regency suspense which was intended just as a straight regency romance but didn’t stay that way. After that I am dying to get stuck back into the idea for a series of mystery novels set in an exotic location (historical of course). 

What is your favourite part of the process of writing?

Rewriting. I view my first draft as a rough sketch. For me the joy of creation is in the rewrite when I go back and bring the story to life, filling in between the sketches with colour and movement. When the characters start talking back to me is a magical moment. 

What are you currently reading?

I am deeply into Sandra Gulland’s Josephine Bonaparte trilogy – THE MANY LIVES AND SECRET SORROWS OF JOSEPHINE B. Sandra was a founding member of the blog, HOYDENS AND FIREBRANDS, set up by a group of writers who work in the seventeenth century so I’ve got to know her through that. It is now public knowledge that her Josephine stories, which are written in first person as a diary, have been optioned for a TV series. I do hope it comes off!

~~~

Thanks, Alison!

You can find Alison at:

website - alisonstuart.com

blog - alisonstuart.blogspot.com

Facebook

Twitter @AlisonStuart14

Goodreads

~yia~


 

Writing Buddy Wednesday: Carolyn Wren

Welcome to the latest installment of WRiting Buddy Wednesday. Today, I have the vivaciously funny Carolyn Wren. I have gotten to know Carolyn from the DarkSiders but more so from the Riding the Waves Conference Committee. Each of us is running a social event, so you many emails go back and forth between us working things out. 

Your most recent release is The Hostage. Can you describe this book for us?

My latest release is The Hostage (The Protectors Book 4) It’s the story of a secret and enigmatic covert operative known only as Omega. After she rescues a businessman held for ransom, he turns the tables and is determined to track her down and thank her. Of course there is a nasty villain in the piece, equally determined to locate the elusive agent.

Please tell us a little about your road to publication. 

I’m pretty sure I didn’t follow any of the rules. I woke up one day and just started typing. Three years later I had sixteen stories on my desktop. It wasn’t until I joined the RWA that I began to learn. You know, just a few essentials, like how to set a margin, what the term head hopping meant, and how I shouldn’t be doing it! I bit the bullet and submitted an entry to my very first contest, the Emerald. 

After I got through to the second round I began to toy with the idea of being published. My seven part romantic suspense series varied in length from 19k to 50k, I wondered if getting it published in its current form was even possible. Secret Cravings Publishing kept coming up on my radar. They’re not the biggest kid on the block but something about them felt right, it’s the only way I can describe it. I wrote my very first submission letter for part one in the series, Diplomat’s Daughter. They said yes!  When I won the Emerald, I wrote again, asking if they would be interested in the entire series. They said yes again. I’ve never regretted that decision. They’re a wonderful company to work with. Now I’m on this really crazy learning curve, which isn’t so much a curve as a high speed rocket. And I’m loving every minute of it. 

What attracted you to the romantic suspense genre?

Bad boys and danger, what’s not to love? I grew up reading books combining romance and suspense, my mum adored them. Daphne Du Maurier, Mary Stewart, Tami Hoag, Iris Johansen. The elements of danger made the story so intriguing, the romance so tantalising. I didn’t set out specifically to write romantic suspense. My damn heroines and heroes kept getting themselves into trouble and needed rescuing. And I quickly discovered how much fun it is to write a really nasty villain.


Congratulations on being a finalist in the Ella Award (new published novella award by RWAus)? How does it feel to be nominated with your first ever publication?

I kept bursting into giggles for three days. Pretty embarrassing, because on the second day I was on a train at the time. It’s impossible to say how much this means to me. I loved the idea of a novella contest (well done RWA) but Diplomat’s Daughter was my first published work, how could I possibly enter? For weeks I procrastinated, printing out the entry form and staring at it. In the end I figured what’s the very worst that can happen? I’ll come last, and that’s okay. I’ll have supported a wonderful new contest. 

When Raewyn emailed me with the finals news she asked me not to tell anyone except my family until the official announcement. I told her my family could wait, can I tell my publisher? I emailed Secret Cravings before I emailed anyone else. I loved sharing the joy with them. They’ve always been so supportive of me. I did tell my husband shortly afterwards, he was thrilled too. At the Fremantle conference I’ll receive my Ella finalist pin and my first sale ribbon. That’s pretty awesome.



Are you a plotter? Pantser? Or somewhere in between?

I tell myself I’m a plotter. It isn’t true. I have a nice clear concise plan in my head which goes out the window when my fingers hit the keys. When I get a story idea, I need a beginning, and end, and a love scene. Everything else comes as I type.

What are you working on now? And what’s in the near future for Carolyn Wren?

Book 5 of The Protectors, The Widowers Child, is scheduled for release on the 13th August. I’m waiting on edits for that one. Book 6, The Undercover Agents, need to be with my editor by 1st August for a release on the 18th October. I’m doing some revisions for that.

Last week I submitted a ghost story novella to a publisher. That’s exciting for me as it’s the first of my spec fic stories I’ve ever submitted. And I’m pitching a full length paranormal story at the Fremantle conference.

In my spare time, pause for laughter, I’m trying to finish a mammoth vampire trilogy I began writing for a friend for her birthday. It started as a novella and currently stands at around 550k. Not quite sure what happened there…

I also have a regency romance I’m keen to get back to, I love the opening chapter. Historical romance is another genre I really love, and it’s great fun trying one of my own. I wrote an erotic piece last month when I was bored with editing, I’d like to finish that.

The future? I have no idea. As long as I can keep writing, I don’t mind. 

 

What is your favourite part of the process of writing? 

It sounds cliché, but all of it! I love the initial idea that pops into my head, usually at 3am. Apparently my muse is an insomniac. I love the thrill of opening a new folder on my desk top, because that means I’m committing to a story. I even love edits! Because every time my editor picks me up on an error, or a bad habit, it’s something else I learn, and I take that knowledge into the next story.


What are you currently reading?

Heart of Obsidian by Nalini Singh, and its great! I’m only up to chapter 2, as writing deadlines, and planning duties for the Fremantle conference are keeping me crazy busy. I might take a day off, curl up on the sofa and read the whole thing in one sitting. Sounds like a great way to spend a rainy winter’s day, don’t you think?

~~~

Thanks, Carolyn!

You can find Carolyn at carolynwren.com, her blog, Facebook, and Twitter.

~yia~

Writing Buddy Wednesday: Kate Belle

Today in the Taverna, I have Kate Belle. I met Kate via FB being another member of RWAus and met her in person at ARRA. She spoke at the same Meet The Author session as me and was a great speaker. 

Take it away, Kate.

Confessions of obsessions 

by Kate Belle

All writers have obsessions and I’m no exception. Mine comes in the form of a dark handsome man. Nope, not my dearly beloved. Not an ex-boyfriend either. He’s imaginary. And I’m completely, utterly, bone-shakingly in love with him. It’s weird, but it’s the twisted truth.

How did a relatively sane (?) middle aged woman allow this bizarre, secret love affair begin? 

I think it has something to do with all the fairy stories I read as a child, or one story in particular, Snow White. There’s a scene in my new book, The Yearning, where the protagonist as a little girl settles into her grandmother’s comfy side while she is read that very story. The little girl becomes excited as the pages turn ever closer to her favourite picture – the darkly handsome Prince Charming standing by his strong horse and preparing to bend down to kiss Snow White’s cold lips.

This little scene comes straight from my childhood. I got excited about exactly that picture in my Grandmother’s copy of Snow White. I remember gazing at it longingly, then going out to play in the castle out the back (an abandoned and very stinky old chook shed) pretending I was the one marrying that delightful Prince.

Something about that vision of man-hood must have struck a chord in my subconscious because I’ve been writing out my secret, imaginary lover ever since. Ask me to write about a hero who’s a fair-skinned blonde with blue eyes – (go on, I dare you) – and watch me crumble into clichés and crap. There are no blue eyed blonde heroes in my head. Nor do I think there ever will be.

The truly sad thing is when I’m not writing about this imaginary lover of mine, I’m still thinking about him. Yep, I treat him just like a real boyfriend. I catch myself smiling as I’m hanging out the washing because I’m imagining him coming home to a candle lit dinner. Or I almost miss my stop on the train because I’m imagining him sitting next to me fondly fondling my fingers. I hear him talk to me while I make a cup of tea. And when I close my eyes at night...

Am I alone? Judging by the many ‘Fictional boyfriend’ facebook pages and blogs, I think not. Their existence only emboldens me to admit to my peculiar proclivity for a pretend boyfriend. And while it might be weird to imagine he’s really interacting with me, it’s essential for my writing. While he is vibrant with life in my mind, he is vibrant with life on the page. He steams into my female character’s lives, bursting with charisma and sensuality. He seduces them, as he seduces me. I feel him leaning over my shoulder as I write, instructing me as to what he says and does next. I sense his smug satisfaction as he sees himself spilling onto the page, ready to take an unsuspecting reader in ambush. He is my devil, my god, my muse all rolled into one and I can’t do without him.

Do you have an obsession you can’t do without? 

~~~

Thanks, Kate!

Check out Kate's info below. 

Kate Belle Bio

Kate lives, writes and loves in Melbourne, juggling her strange, secret affairs with her male characters with her much loved partner and daughter, and a menagerie of neurotic pets. She holds a tertiary qualification in chemistry, half a diploma in naturopathy and a diploma in psychological astrology. Kate believes in living a passionate life and has ridden a camel through the Australian desert, fraternised with hippies in Nimbin, had a near birth experience and lived on nothing but porridge and a carrot for 3 days.

Blog/website

Facebook

Twitter: @ecstasyfiles

Books by Kate Belle

The Yearning – First love. Forbidden love. An obsession that should not be fulfilled.

It’s 1978 in a country town and a dreamy fifteen year old girl’s world is turned upside down by the arrival of the substitute English teacher. Solomon Andrews is beautiful, inspiring and she wants him like nothing else she’s wanted in her short life.

Charismatic and unconventional, Solomon notices the attention of one student, his new neighbour, who has taken to watching him from her upstairs window. He assumes it a harmless teenage crush, until the erotic love notes begin to arrive.

Solomon knows he must resist, but her sensual words stir him. One afternoon, as he stands reading her latest offering in his driveway, she turns up unannounced. And what happens next will torment them forever – in ways neither can imagine.

The Yearning is already attracting 5 star reviews. Buy links:

Amazon | iTunes | Local independent bookshops, including Eltham Bookshop.

Master of Love series featuring the charismatic lover of women, Ramon Mendez.

Breaking the Rules: Grace is a beautiful woman in complete control of her world. A long time ago she chose a career over children and marriage, and has never regretted it. Then Ramon Mendez, her new PhD student, walks into her office. Aware of the need to maintain her professional reputation, she rejects his advances, but he persists. And during their intimate supervision sessions, her defences start to crumble, for Ramon’s work is exposing desires within Grace she never knew existed.

Follow this link for a sample chapter.

Breaking the Rules: iTunes & Amazon 

Bloom: Thirty-six-year-old Emma’s life looks as perfect, but something is missing. Her husband, Gary, hardly notices her anymore and she feels frumpy and invisible. When she joins a social boot camp class at the local gym, Emma immediately recognises their instructor as the gorgeous runner she sees each evening in the park. In spite of herself Emma is besotted. One evening, when things at home have become too much to bear, she bumps into him and an opportunity presents itself. Ramon promises and delivers everything that’s missing from her marriage – passion, romance and excitement – but Emma must discover if they are the things she really wants.

Follow this link for a sample chapter:

Bloom: iTunes & Amazon

~yia~

Writing Buddy Wednesday: Shona Husk

Today on Writing Buddy Wednesday, I have the very amazing Shona Husk. I've known Shona online for many years (especially via the paranormal group and being a blog team member of the DarkSide DownUnder blog. I also have designed three covers for her as HelzKat Designs - see end of post). 

I finally met Shona in person this year at ARRC2013 and she's just as amazing in person.

Let's meet Shona...


Your most recent release is Ruby’s Ghost. Can you describe this book for us?

Ruby’s Ghost is one of those stories that took me a long time to write as it kept getting put aside for other projects (contracted books and editorial deadlines always come first), yet I kept going back to it because the idea of being caught between life and death, the past and future was really interesting. Because the characters are at college they are also on the cusp of becoming an adult and making decisions that will affect their lives. For Tate quite literally after he is involved in a car accident.

It is probably my least paranormal story and probably the trickiest to write, what does it feel like to be kissed by a ghost?



You went the novella route initially. Can you tell us why you chose that path to publication.

I was made redundant in the GFC and around that time I’d had the epiphany that if it took me a year to write a novel it would take me a long time to get my craft right and get published. I’d been reading a lot of novellas at the time from various publishers and I decided that I’d give writing them ago. Write shorter gave me the opportunity to play around with different characters and plots and find my voice faster. Once they started selling was able to use what I was learning by working with editors in my next novel (The Goblin King) and it sold. The thing to remember is that novellas and novels are different beasts structurally, but character and voice and dialogue and conflict and setting can be learned by writing short.

What attracted you to the paranormal genre?

I grew up reading fantasy novels and discovered romance in my mid-twenties. Paranormal romance seems like the perfect blending of real world, fantasy and hot heroes :) From a writing perspective I love making stuff up.


Are you a plotter? Pantser? Or somewhere in between?

Plotter. I need to know my characters and the big turning points of the story before I start—that said my characters and still take unexpected turns.

You are a prolific writer – how do you balance life, work and writing?

I work part time ;) I have 2 days a week where I get to write while the kids are at school. The other days I write for at least an hour, if I’m on a deadline sometimes more, but I do it after the kids are in bed. I’ve also developed ways to help me write faster. I spend more time plotting and mapping out the book as it saves me time when writing (and also editing as I often restructure during that mapping stage). I think some of this stuff comes from practise and learning how you work and how to make you work more efficiently. 

What are you working on now? And what’s in the near future for Shona Husk?

I’m working on Lord of the Hunt (Annwyn #2) and Annwyn #3 (#1 The Outcast Prince comes out in July) as well as a couple of sci fi romances for Ellora’s Cave, the first of which Lunar Exposure comes out May 10. 

What is your favourite part of the process of writing?

I really like plotting when the idea is shiny and new, but I enjoy the writing as well and even the edits which make the story shine. The bit I don’t like is reading the final page proofs as it’s a combination of being sick of the story and anxiety because it’s the last chance to find any typos.


What are you currently reading?

I’ve just finished The Lone Warrior by Denise Rossetti (book 3 in the four sided pentacle series) and started The Risk Taker by Kira Sinclair (M&B Blaze which was in the ARRC goodie bag— Blaze is my favourite line, plus it has a military hero so I was thrilled to find it in my bag).


What would be you ultimate research trip? ;)
One that was all expenses paid:) I’d love to go to Europe or South America.

~~~

Thank you, Shona!

You can catch Shona at her website, the WINKgirls blog, the monthly What We Are Reading posts on the DarkSide DownUnder blog, Twitter, Goodreads and Facebook.

  

~yia~

Writing Buddy Wednesday: Jenn J McLeod

Welcome to another instalment of WRiting Buddy Wednesday. My guest today is contemporary Australian author, Jenn J McLeod. I've known Jenn for some time via Romance Writers of Australia - but got her to know her much better via volunteer work (blog team and the 2012 conference committee). Jenn is a straight shooter and a hard worker, a good person to have on any team. Oh, and she's tall - I think I came up to her knees when I met her in person for the first time at conference last year - yes, I know I'm a shortie (*grin*). 

Let's meet Jenn.... 

Welcome Jenn to the Taverna.

Congratulations on your debut release, House for All Seasons. Can you tell us a little bit about it?

House for all Seasons tells the story of four estranged school friends called under a bequest to return to the country town of their youth. Only spending a season each in the century-old Dandelion House do Sara, Poppy, Amber and Caitlin discover something about themselves and a secret that ties all four to each other and to the house forever. It’s a story of unravelling friendships, a tightening of family ties, and the unsettling after-effects of choices made. But mostly it’s about coming home to find your place in the world and discovering that country roots can run very deep and small towns can keep big secrets.



What was your road to publication like.

Long! Uncertain. Confusing. Uplifting. Devastating. Uplifting again. Scary. How many adjectives am I allowed?

What is it about rural romance you are attracted to?

Those two words – rural and romance – just roll of the tongue, don’t they? While House for all Seasons has a small town setting, I found the story (and characters) took a very different path, with the end result placing my novel in Simon & Schuster’s popular fiction line. There are romantic themes but it is more about personal growth, acceptance and family/friend relationships. Told in four parts, each character has her own distinctive voice and issues:

Sara is a breast cancer survivor afraid to fall in love but her going home does deal with facing unrequited love;

Poppy is a tough, ambitions journo still craving her father’s approval and pretending she doesn’t need anyone;

Amber is a spoilt socialite addicted to painkillers and cosmetic procedures and struggling to deal with a restless and spoilt daughter;

Caitlin is a doctor frustrated by a controlling family and her flat-lining life. Compliance is the chink in her armour.

Returning to their hometown ends up being just the ‘magick’ they need!

What or who inspired you to write?

Major surgery! I had my Thyroid removed when I was 36, which meant a seven-week recovery period at home. At the time I was reading the likes of Nora Roberts and Danielle Steele and I figured I should try writing a novel myself!!! That was 1996 and the 100,000-word novel I write is still in a bottom drawer. One day maybe!

What do you love about being a writer?

It’s a necessary release for me. I would burst if I didn’t have a creative outlet. (I definitely have more ‘right-side’ brain!!!!) As a kid I was always playing make-believe and acting up a storm. I truly thought I would have seen my name up in lights, but alas, I will have to settle for having it in print! 

 

What are you working on now? And what’s in the near future for Jenn J McLeod?

I am biting at the bit to start edits on The Simmering Season. I learned so much from my editor with ‘House’ and cannot wait to develop even more complex characters when I take readers back to Calingarry Crossing.

In the meantime I’m blogging and Facebooking (and other social media stuff) all of which is required these days in order to cut through the glut of books out there now. House for all Seasons went down the traditional print publication path (although it is also available as an ebook. In fact, you can download the first chapter on Amazon right now.) Still, an author wants to get their books out to as many readers as possible and to achieve that one needs a good online presence. I also think readers want to connect with authors, especially when they have enjoyed their novel. I have been amazed at the wonderful reviews House has been receiving and all the personal posts and feedback from readers. 

What would be your ultimate research trip? ;)) 

I sold two books to Simon & Schuster. (The Simmering Season is out March next year.) My dream is to buy a motor home, sell up, and travel Australia. I did it the hard way in my twenties (in a truck and a tent) and fell in love with this marvellous country of ours. I have travelled overseas and love it when I am there, but hate the idea of travel. There really is no place like home (even if that home is mobile!)

Speaking of country, come home to the country with me now at www.jennjmcleod.com to see what reviewers are saying about House for all Seasons and sign up for blog updates.

You can also find me on Facebook-  Jenn J Mcleod.Books  and Twitter: @jennjmcleod

~~~

Thanks for joining me, Jenn.

Don't to forget to check out Jenn's book - House for all Seasons - buy links

~yia~

Writing Buddy Wednesday: Rachael Johns

Featured today on Writing Buddy Wednesday is fellow Fremantle conference team member, Rachael Johns. I've known Rachael for a number of years via RWAus and I believe we met online with the 50KsIn30Days many many years ago. Rachael always seems to be happy go lucky, and she writes rural and contemporary romance.  

Now let's talk to Rach! (as she's affectionately known).

Welcome Rachael to the Taverna.


Thanks so much Eleni! It’s fabulous to be here *grin*



In just over a year, you’ve had four stories published (two with Carina Press; Two with Harlequin Australia). Can you tell us about your road to publication?


It took fifteen years and then everything started moving pretty fast. As you can see it’s a long story, but I’ll give you the short version! After wanting to be a primary school teacher forever, I changed to writing the week before starting uni. This was because after breaking up with my high school sweetheart, I somehow turned to writing as therapy and discovered I loved it. Sadly, uni taught me little about the craft of writing a good novel and I ambled about for years, not really knowing what I was writing or how to write it. I was writing what I call Literary-Chick-Lit – I was trying to write something that would win great literay prizes (aka what uni lecturers had tried to mould me for) where all I really wanted to write was something like Bridget Jones Diary (I LOVED that book)! In short, it didn’t work.

Anyway, the one good thing I took from my degree (okay probably not the only thing but definitely the best) is an article I’d found at uni about writing for MILLS & BOON. Almost ten years after starting to write, I decided I’d try my hand at writing a romance. While pursuing this I found the Romance Writers of Australia and through their newsletters, online innovations and conferences, I started to learn what good writing needs – things like conflicts! I entered a number of RWA contests and did quite well, then I finaled in a Mills & Boon contest and came runner up in the world! It was still another two years, but because of the friends I met through RWA and the support of editors willing to offer advice on the way, I eventually wrote a book that someone wanted to buy (ONE PERFECT NIGHT). Within a few months of that, I’d sold another one (JILTED). It’s all about preservation and finding your niche *grin* 

 

You have two releases currently out – Man Drought (Harlequin Australia) and Stand-In Star (Carina Press). Tell us a little about them.

MAN DROUGHT  is a rural romance set in a small fictional town called Gibson’s Find where the population is almost completely men (Who wants to go there?). The heroine is a widow who, looking for new direction and meaning in her life, buys the town’s run down pub. She has all sorts of challenges as she meets the locals and tries to revive the old place – but the biggest challenge of all is the unwanted attraction she develops towards local farmer, Gibson Black. He’s none too pleased about Imogen’s arrival or his growing feelings towards her either! 

STAND-IN STAR is about as far from MAN DROUGHT as you can get while still being a contemporary romance. It’s a fish-out-of-water story of an Aussie girl who unhappily goes to Hollywood to accept her estranged sister’s posthumous Academy Award. On arrival, she’s descended upon by paparazzi and rescued by an old friend of her sisters, who not only has preconceived dislike for her, but happens to be an ex paparazzo himself. Sparks fly and this is probably the sexiest book I’ve yet to write.



What is it about the rural romance genre you enjoy and are attracted to?

I love writing and reading about the dynamics in small rural communities – where everyone knows everyone and their business, where half the town is related. Sometimes this is a good thing and sometimes it’s not. But small towns also have a great sense of community and they always pull together and look out for each other in an emergency. It’s these things, and the fact that such characters can be found in the bush, that attract me to rural romance!



What or who inspired you to write?

I kind of answered this above – sorry! I started writing when I broke up with my first love. I wrote our story. It was diabolically written and I killed him off (so no one else could have him) but as well as being cathartic, it unleashed a dream inside me I didn’t even know was there. From that moment on, I wanted to write, be published and one day be able to spot my books in a bookshop J



What do you love about being a writer?

Being able to write in my pjs or comfy house clothes. Being able to write in bed with my electric blanket in winter. Creating worlds and characters and playing God to both! The exciting potential of a blank page. The fact I’m basically my own boss and can choose my hours around family and other commitments. The people I’ve met through writing. The readers who send me emails saying they’ve loved my book. The fact I can count reading as research AND books are tax deductible. Romance Writing conferences! Googling hot men in the name of character research… I could go on forever!



What are you working on now? And what’s in the near future for Rachael Johns?

I’m currently editing my September release for Harlequin Australia. It’s working title is OUTBACK DREAMS but that is likely to change. It’s a friends to lovers story and explores some emotional issues of family disharmony, grief and living with an autistic family member, but I hope that it is also fun and easy to read. Uplifting, not depressing.



What would be your ultimate research trip? ;))

I have always wanted to go to Alaska for some reason. I’d start there and work my way down the continent. Lots of story potential there I reckon!



You work in a family run business, are a wife and mum, are part of the Riding the Waves conference team. How do you balance work-life?

With a very supportive husband who doesn’t mind yielding a vacuum and the most amazing, selfless mother in the world. Seriously, without my support team, this wouldn’t be possible. I don’t iron, and I hardly ever watch TV – and if I did, I don’t think I’d be able to fit in writing. However, I make sure to read as much as I can, so that it’s not all work and no play J





Thanks for joining me, Rachael.


Thank you so much for having me :)


You can find Rachael at her following hang outs on the web....

Blog

Website

Twitter

Facebook

MAN DROUGHT – January 1st 2013, Harlequin Australia (currently only available in Aus/NZ territories)


Imogen Bates moved to the small rural town of Gibson’s Find to start a new life for herself after the death of her husband. Tired of being haunted by the painful memories of her old life, Imogen set her last remaining hopes on the little town and, in particular, pouring her heart and savings into restoring The Majestic Hotel to its former glory. But while the female-starved town might be glad to see a young woman move in, not everyone is happy about Imogen’s arrival.

Sheep and crop farmer Gibson Black once dreamed of having the kind of family his grandfather reminisces about, but he’s learnt not to dream anymore. Living in the mostly male town suits Gibson down to the ground...and he won’t have anyone — least of all a hot redhead from the city — change a thing.

Imogen has never been one to back down from a challenge, especially when it concerns her last chance at happiness. She’s determined to rebuild the pub and create a future for the little town. But can she create a future for Gibson and herself, too?


To buy links:

Amazon

Harlequin Australia

STAND IN STAR – January 7th 2013, Carina Press

As an anthropologist, Holly McCartney is more comfortable in a museum than shopping on Rodeo Drive. She isn’t prepared for the media frenzy on her arrival in L.A. to accept a posthumous acting award for her late sister….or for her sister’s gorgeous friend Nate Devlin to come to her rescue. Though he resents her for some reason, she can’t fight their irresistible chemistry—especially when the paparazzi force her to stay at his mansion.

Photographer Nate only agrees to help Holly survive Hollywood for her sister’s sake, but she soon gets under his skin in a way no other woman has. The more time he spends with her, the more his attraction grows and he finds himself opening up to her in ways he never expected. But will ghosts of the past stand in the way of their perfect Hollywood ending?



To-buy links:

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

Carina Press

~yia~